New GSD foster dog

This is (probably) Zeus. He's a 10 or 11 year old GSD that was dropped at a small county shelter in KY by his previous owners. Now that he's older they decided they didn't want to deal with him anymore. The shelter is in a very economically depressed area and they had decided adopting him really wasn't worth their time or effort and they were going to put him to sleep.

Luckily a group of people I've met here locally that do rescue heard about him and his 'brother' or kennel mate who is a 2 year old huge, gorgeous GSD and decided to step in and get them out of there.

They made arrangements to go get them next week, but the shelter called today and told them that Zeus had started coughing and if they couldn't get him today, they'd euth him. So, with no notice they hopped in the car and headed to KY to save them.

As soon as he was sprung they took him and his brother straight to the vet. The vet said he wasn't coughing at all, but he had a very severe infection in his teeth and they appear to have never been cleaned. Poor dude was in pain. So they've got him on anti-biotics for the next.............. 10 days I think?

I got the call this afternoon at work. 'Zeus' has a home with the lady that paid his puppy bail but she needs to find a home for the 2 year old first, just doesn't have room for them both in a small apartment. So I offered to foster Zeus for her until the 2 year old has a home.

She also told me to go ahead and name him. I pulled in the driveway and my 15 year old met me in the drive. She instantly named him Zeus. I've e-mailed the lady that's going to keep him and told her the name to see if she likes it. If she does that'll be his name.

On the off chance she doesn't like it, we need back up names. So, everyone start thinking and posting!!

For reference: he's about 10 or 11 years old, very small for a GSD, very sweet old man, not neutered but that's going to be his Christmas present on the 26th (Merry Christmas to him, eh?), his face is almost totally grey, he's not a couch potato but not got the energy of a 2 year old either.

So, photos below and name suggestions needed...





Alright Photobucket and my computer both hate me tonight. I've tried about a zillion times to rotate that blasted photo and it won't turn. *sigh* I give!!

Looks like a Sam to me

We wound up sticking with Zeus. We had a tough start. He's obviously been left outside all his life to grow up the way he wanted. Not housebroken, never been around other dogs. Ugh!

I really started to worry if we'd saved him or if we'd just taken him from a place where he'd be euth'd by someone that didn't care to a place where he'd be euth'd by someone that did.

The lady that is ultimately going to keep him has 2 other dogs and a tiny home. If he couldn't get along with them it wouldn't work and the chances that anyone would be willing to adopt an older dog are pretty slim.

Anyway, after a pretty tense (almost) week we have him getting along very well with my female rottie who had no clue why in the world anyone wouldn't love her. He has gotten along very very well from day one with my daughter's chihuahua. He's not so eager to chase cats anymore. A good cuffing from my biggest cat - who is completely not afraid of some wimpy tiny little 50 pound GSD after taking on my 182 pound mastiff - seems to have broken him from that game. Luckily he never intended to hurt them, just wanted to chase them and catch and hold them. My poor siamese did not understand nor enjoy that game however, so he's pretty happy that it's done.

I still haven't formally introduced him to the rest of the dogs and I keep an eye on him with the cats and other 2 dogs. If we aren't around and when we sleep he is kenneled. Not sure that I'll ever change that. Don't want to take any chances. But at least for now we're making progress. He's doing phenomenal on his housebreaking and we've not had an accident since the first day he got here.

So, looks like he'll eventually go to his new home. He has his vet appointment tomorrow to be neutered and have his HW test and a good tooth cleaning. Then home to rest if off. Hopefully the younger one that was rescued with him will be adopted soon so Zeus can go to his new home!